Books in Laurel-Leaf Books series

Grant Hughes is asked by his beloved grandfather to help him die if he is transferred to the terminal ward of his nursing home. Both Grant's parents are lawyers, and his father is emotionally distant. Because Grant's grandfather does not feel he can trust his son or daughter-in-law to honor his last wishes, he turns to Grant as his only hope. Engaging and intelligent, Grant's story examines and illuminates the moral, ethical, and legal implications of an increasingly prominent and controversial human issue.

Cab Jones has never met her grandmother or been to the town where she lives. But when Cab's mother and new stepfather takes off to Europe for the summer, Cab and her older brother find themselves stuck in Washco, Pennsylvania. The streets are dirty and drab, and Cab is afraid she'll never make friends.But Cab's summer job waitressing in her grandmother's restaurant--EATS--proves to be a great way to meet people, including her new friend, Tracy. Slowly Cab comes to love the neighborhood and the restaurant's colorful coffee drinkers.Then the even fabric of summer in Washco is ripped apart when terrible crimes are committed against the residents. Cab and Tracy join a crusade to restore safety to the streets of the place that has become home to Cab. But by summer's end Cab finds the future has another home in store for her.

This anthology features stories about individuals who find themselves in situations that test their strength of character. They are called upon to make moral choices, face the consequences of their actions, and consider what it means to "do the right thing." From computer blackmail, peer pressure, and gang violence to drug use, unwanted pregnancy, guilt and atonement, these characters face decisions that may affect the rest of their lives. There are many tough choices; there are no easy answers.

The numerous fans of Dither Farm, Sid Hite's exciting fiction debut, have been longing for the return of the zany Dithers, the family with enough personality to start a carnival act. Now the Dithers are back, and with them come adventure and romance, invention and inspiration, and a healthy dose of antic humor. This delightful new episode in the Dither saga is a thoroughly satisfying follow-up to Dither Farm, which the Boston Globe called "one of the funniest, most heartwarming books of the year."

Fourteen-year old Adem, an Albanian boy, lives in Serb-occupied Kosovo. Adem hates existing in a constant state of terror. Every week, friends and family are beaten, teargassed, and killed. The Albanians are helpless, and even passive resistance can get you killed--as is Adem's sister Fatmira, gunned down while reading a protest poem. Now Adem must decide how to survive this never-ending nightmare--with or without his family.Mead's novel includes a brief history of the events leading to the Kosovo Conflict, a map of the region surrounding Kosovo, and a pronunciation guide.

Thirteen-year-old Jesse leads a pretty boring life in just about the most boring place in the universe--otherwise known as Ida, Texas. The most exciting place in Ida is Mr. Arthur's Wax Museum, where the main attraction is a (slightly damaged) replica of the Last Supper. But then Roxanne sweeps into the trailer next door. Thirty years old, with her wild red hair and a liberty bell tattooed on her chest, she and Jesse are the most unlikely friends. But through Roxanne, Jesse begins to see a world beyond the peeling paint of the trailer park, where heart language matters more than out-loud language and loss is not the end of love.